Archive of Student Science Research Presentations

 

At the end of each term, students present scientific research that they have conducted during the semester in a symposium open to the college community.  This page features the work of the students with links to the slides, audio clips, and videos of each presentation.  Semesters are listed in order from the most recent.

Student Research Presentations Fall 2020

Student Research Presentations Fall 2019

Student Research Presentations Spring 2019

Student Research Presentations Fall 2018

Student Research Presentations Spring 2018

 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2017

Student Research Presentations Spring 2017

 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2016

Student Research Presentations Spring 2016

 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2015

 
Assessing Innovations for Child Witnesses in the Courtroom.

Presented by:
Garrett Harris, Colin Hayton, Anna Maria Hidalgo, Mason McCullough & Cole Watson 

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dawn McQuiston, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Juggling Guided Skills: An Exploration of Cognitive Flexibility in Pigeons.

Presented by:
Alex Bidgood, Maureen Downs, Sara Futch, Julia Smith, Caroline Starnes & Vanessa Zarubin

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
The Role of Central Amygdala Projections to the Parabrachial Nucleus on Ingestive Behavior in Rats
.

Presented by:
Isaiah Addison, Rebekah Bowie, Taylor Hall & Bailey King

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dave Pittman, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
To Adzuki or to Mung…That is the Question.

Presented by:
Rachel Fenner, Jenna Hojnacki, Sarah Spiro, & Tin Tran

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Moeller, Department of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 

Student Research Presentations Spring 2014

 
Computational Modeling with R.

Presented by:
Callixte Nahimana

Research Mentor:
Dr. Angela Shiflet, Department of Computer Science

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Agent-Based Modeling with NetLogo.

Presented by:
Richard Mugabe

Research Mentor:
Dr. Angela Shiflet, Department of Computer Science

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Benzodiazepines in the Parabrachial Nucleus enhance the palatability of salt, sour, and bitter taste in rats.

Presented by:
Baker Bragg, Alexandra Brantly, Sarah Evans, Reed Mulbry

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dave Pittman & Dr. Sarah Holstein, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Mock Jurors' Judgments About Recanted Confessions.

Presented by:
Tara Gough, Ross Hill, Meghan Holland, & Chuck Lehmuller

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dawn McQuiston, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
The effect of valence on memory: An ERP study.

Presented by:
Rachel Finney, Z'Corrian Jeter, Grace Longanecker, Jennifer Sellers

Research Mentor:
Dr. Katherine Steinmetz, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Observing Enzymatic Production of Fatty Acids in the Mouth.

Presented by:
Neelam Mulji & Emily Bacher

Research Mentor:
Dr.
Bryan Splawn, Department of Chemistry

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Teaching autonomy by delaying prompts: Can rats prevent prompt dependence in handicapped children?

Presented by:
Katie Ball, Sara Futch, Aubrey Knight, Angelica Knuckles, and Martha Tucker, representing the students of PSY 300: Learning & Adaptive Behavior

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
The Effect of Aging and Working Memory Capacity on Interference Susceptibility.

Presented by:
Erin Burnette Frady, Ted Fort, Carson Putnam, Kelsey Smith

Research Mentor:
Dr. Kara Bopp, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2013

 
GABA in the Parabrachial Nucleus enhances taste palatability.

Presented by:
Savanah Atkins, Alexandra Brantly, Sarah Evans, Tyler Nelson, Lindy Pence, Elis Sidden, Leigh Smith, Kelsey Smith

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dave Pittman & Dr. Sarah Holstein, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Self-incrimination and culpability: Examining perceptions of biological versus psychological evidence.

Presented by:
Tara Gough and Julia Paulson

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dawn McQuiston, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
The mystery of multiple mating in female Drosophila melanogaster: Do genetically diverse offspring offset the costs of polyandry?

Presented by:
Harmony White, Stephanie Ackerson, Paul Cox

Research Mentor:
Dr.
Tracie Ivy, Department of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Effect of Talking versus Texting on Cognitive Tasks:  Implications for Texting and Driving.

Presented by:
Elizabeth Anderson, Julia Cauthen, Julia Paulson, Martha Tucker, & Beth Welch

Research Mentor:
Dr.
Cecile Nowatka, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Recognition memory of pain patterns: a pilot study.

Presented by:
Kayla Branham, Katelyn Browne, Sterling Jarrett, Yasmin Ramadan, Jack Wisham

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Determining the Cuticle Hydrocarbons Involved in Chemosensory Systems of the Parasitoid Wasp, Dasymutilla occidentalis.

Presented by:
Deep Sangani & Bradley Vaughn

Research Mentor:
Dr.
Caleb Arrington1 & Dr. John Moeller2, Department of Chemistry1 and Biology2

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
What influences the speed of skill learning?

Presented by:
Erica Cousins, Brecken Harper, Faith Holley, and Elizabeth Monroe

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
The Hunger Games: Catching Crickets, Suppression of Predatory Hunting in Rats.

Presented by:
Maria Davenport, Savannah Mack, Jake Wright on behalf of BIO 351

Research Mentor:
Dr. Stacey Hettes, Department of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Measuring the Presence of Fatty Acid Compounds Generated in the Oral Cavity.

Presented by:
Tony Le and Jordan Beaver

Research Mentor:
Dr. Bryan Splawn, Department of Chemistry

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

Student Research Presentations Spring 2013

 
The effect of stress on the emotion-induced memory trade-off.

Presented by:
Arden Anderson, Kaci Brasher, Thomas Brehmer

Research Mentor:
Dr. Katherine Steinmetz, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Does the complexity of guiding cues influence the development of autonomous motor skills?

Presented by:
Grace DeMarco, representing the students of PSY 300: Learning & Adaptive Behavior

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Effect of handheld versus hands-free cellular telephone use on cognitive tasks.

Presented by:
Jessica Cook, Emily Gothberg, Rose Richardson, Reagan Styles

Research Mentor:
Dr. Cecile Nowatka, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
A specific role for GABA in the Parabrachial Nucleus in enhancing taste palatability.

Presented by:
Savanah Atkins, Tyler Nelson, Lindy Pence, Kelsey Smith

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dave Pittman, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Manipulation of affective state on the experience of acute pain.

Presented by:
Anne Stuart Mitchener, Pierre Núñez, Erin Stephenson

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Department of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Assessment behavior in neonate copperhead snakes is correlated with familiarity and not kinship.

Presented by:
Will Cornwell, Maria Davenport, Trevor Richards, and Caroline Sessions representing the students of BIO 392: Animal Behavior and BIO 323: Biology of Vertebrates

Research Mentor:
Dr. John MoellerDr. John Moeller & Dr. Charles Smith, Department of Biology

Link to Slidesin new window)

 

Student Research Presentations Spring 2012

 
Measuring skill acquisition in the presence and absence of guiding cues in pigeons.

Presented by:
Nathan Folks, Jordan Hardy, Sydney Kline, Carrie Martin, Hunter Rackett

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
U.S. vs. Mexico: Guiding cues studies with rats compete for accuracy.

Presented by:
PSY 300, represented by Kimberlee Lockwood, Anne Stuart Mitchener, Laurel Ann Sams, Jackson Scott

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Effect of Expectancy on Difficult versus Easy Dual Tasks.

Presented by:
Jennifer Fisher, An Le, Gwen McDaniel, Christine Shelton, Jeanne Umuhire

Research Mentor:
Dr. Cecile Nowatka, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
Friends and Family: what factors influence aggregation in female copperhead snakes?

Presented by:
Zach Beaver, Rachel Brittenham, and Brittany Coker (representing BIO 392 Animal Behavior class)

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Moeller, Associate Professor of Biology & Dr. Charles Smith, Assistant Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2011

 
   

Fatty acids enhance the perceived taste intensity of non-nutritive sweeteners, Saccharin & Sucralose, in male & female rats.

Presented by:
Elizabeth Garrison, Christopher Keenan, Kimberlee Lockwood, Hannah Rapport, Alexandra Zeldenrust

Research Mentor:
Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
   

Investigating SNPs in the ZC4H2, FGD1, and MCT8 Genes in Humans.

Presented by:
Kim Stauffer

Research Mentor:
Dr. Charles Schwartz & Melanie May (Greenwood Genetic Center)

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
   

Processing Information Between a Spectrophotometer and an Arduino.

Presented by:
Jonathan Addison and Regis Rutarindwa

Research Mentor:
Dr. Mackay Salley, Associate Professor of Physics

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 
 

The manipulation of worry and its effect on the experience of acute pain.

Presented by:
Amber Bundrick, Warren Ritter, & Megan Wilson

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology
 

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 
 

The development and assessment of standardized patterns in the study of memory for pain.

Presented by:
Lauren Boulier, Dominique Cox, & Bianca Harmon

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
   

Ipilimumab, melanoma, and brain metastases.

Presented by:
Arsalaan Salehani

Research Mentor:
Dr. Kevin Kim, M.D. (Anderson Cancer Center)

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 
 

Living Words: An Assessment of a Creative Writing Program for Older Adults.

Presented by:
Aften Blackwell, Taylor Fenig, Marie Hewes, Caroline Liddy, and Emily Loeber

Research Mentor:
Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 

 No video available.

Audio File


 

Effects of Hypothalamic Injections of a Glutamate Receptor Agonist, NMDA, on Foraging in Satiated Rats.

Presented by:
Brenton Mahaffey, Caroline Burdette, and Laura Arthur on behalf of the students in Biology 250

Research Mentor:
Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 

Student Research Presentations Spring 2011

 

 
Survey of Upstate Veterans, preliminary results.

Presented by:
Luisa Gonzalez and David Trant

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 
How do changes in guiding cues affect skill learning in pigeons?

Presented by:
Alexandra Smith, Covington Avent, Sarah Gallagher, Samantha Flowers, Hannah Rapport, & Hunter Rackett

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

 

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 

 

Comparing antioxidant power of super-fruit supplements.

 

Presented by:

Kristin Demosthenes

 

Research Mentor:

Dr. Bryan Splawn, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

 

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 
 

 

Assessment of the reliability and validity of the repetition-detection task.

 

Presented by:

Luisa Gonzalez, Mary Beirne Taylor, Ayat Tayebi and Ben Wilmoth

 

Research Mentor:

Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology

 

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 
  The effects of popularity and outcome dependency on impression formation in children.

 

Presented by:

Caitlin Dodd, Stephyn Duck, Emily Knight, and Nikki Siebert

 

Research Mentor:

Dr. Cecile Nowatka, Associate Professor of Psychology

 

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2010

 
 
Guided skill learning in rats is governed by simultaneous feature-positive bias.

Presented by:
Hannah Rapport and Thien-An Le

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 
Quoridor: The Route to the Finish Line.

Presented by:
Chelsea Dowell and Allison Tolbert

Research Mentor:
Dr. Joseph Spivey, Assistant Professor of Math

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
   

The Combinatorics of Quoridor® Gamestates.

 

Presented by:

Monroe Griffin and Ryan Campbell

 

Research Mentor:

Dr. Joseph Spivey, Assistant Professor of Math

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 
CDP increases ingestion and alters taste palatability across specific tastants in rats.

Presented by:
Phillip Neill, Michael Schecter, and Isaac Rankin

Research Mentor:
Dr. David Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 No video available.
Do hypothalamic injections of a glutamate receptor inhibitor influence feeding and foraging in rats?

Presented by:
Joseph McAbee, Sara Johnson, and Arsalaan Salehani

Research Mentor:
Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
  No video available.
The Effect of Catastrophizing on Pressure Pain.

Presented by:
Bailey Bridges, Paige Forrester, Katherine Campbell, and David Trant

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 No video available. 
Chemosensory preferences in parasitoid wasps.

Presented by:
Alexandra Zeldenrust and David Zusin

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Moeller, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 

Student Research Presentations Spring 2010

 
 
The Effects of the Manipulation of Worry on Acute Pain among Self-Described Worriers.

Presented by:
Lauren Holland, Michael McDonnell, Zachary Roman, and Aubrey Thomson

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 
The Effects of Popularity and Outcome Dependency on Impression Formation in Children.

Presented by:
Lisa Bratton, Cally Patterson, Will Renneker, and Melanie Roys

Research Mentor:
Dr. Cecile Nowatka, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 

 
 

 

Survey of Veterans in the Upstate.

 

Presented by:

Brittney Getz & Aubrey Thomson

 

Research Mentor:

Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

 

Link to Slides (pdf opens in new window)

 
 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2009

 
 
 

An investigation of MicroRNAs in plants: Understanding MicroRNA and argonaut protein interactions. 

Presented by: Danielle Rekers

Mentor:  Dr. Xuiren Zhang, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Texas A&M University

 Link to Slides (pdf)  

 

 
 

 

D-AP5, a chemical which suppresses receptor activity, injected into the lateral hypothalamic area of the brain reduces feeding in foraging rats.

Presented by: Students of BIO250

Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology

 Link to Slides (pdf)  

 
 
 

 

Education & praise are sufficient to improve healthy eating during elementary school lunch service.

Presented by: Brittney Getz, Christina Jackson, Jonathon Shay, and Sara Riggs

Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

 Link to Slides (pdf)  

 
 
 

 

Examination of the effects of working memory training on working memory capacity and transfer to fluid intelligence.

Presented by: Tia Anders, Brittney Getz, Chelsea Nill, & Jessie Sahms

Mentor: Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)  

 
 
 

 

Regulation of Carbon Dioxide Usage in Halothiobacillus neapolitanus and Thiomonus intermedia.

Presented by: Courtney Gregory and Nicole Woller

Mentor: Dr. Stefanie Baker, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf)

 
 

Student Research Presentations Spring 2009

 
 
Age-related changes in working memory: Role of additional cues in content to context binding.

Presented by:
Emily Dengler & Amanda Ruscin

Research Mentor:
Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)  

Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

 
 
Internalization of Stimulus Control During Skill Learning: When Can the Coach Leave?

Presented by:
Brittney Getz & Chelsea Nill

Research Mentor:
Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)  

Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

 
 

 

A Feasibility Study of Landmine Detection by Hooded Rats.

 

Presented by:

Brittney Getz & Chelsea Nill

 

Research Mentor:

Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

 

Link to Slides (pdf)

 

Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 
 
 
Effects of Worry in Persistent Pain.

Presented by:
Laura Depko, Mary Kate Ferguson, Melanie Orr, and Sally Roberts

Research Mentor:
Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)

Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window) 

 

Student Research Presentations Fall 2008

GABAergic Influences Increase Ingestion across All Taste Categories

Presented by:  Molly McGinnis, Elizabeth Miller, & Lindsey Richardson

Mentor:   Dr. David Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

The Potential Effectiveness of UBP 302 as a Kainite Receptor Antagonist in Suppressing ATPA- Elicited Feeding in the Lateral Hypothalamus

Presented by:  Jamie Nichols, Ashley Carr, & Cameron Simmons 

Mentor:   Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Sequential Dependencies Produced When Learning Response Sequences

Presented by:  Jenny Amsden, Kelley Crawford, Tom Glazebrook, & Chelsea Nill

Mentor:   Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Investigating Natural Products as Anticancer Agents

Presented by:  Stacey Turner & Caslin Pavy

Mentor:   Dr. Bryan Splawn, Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Sound Production in a Parasitoid Wasp

Presented by:  Sam Hall

Mentor:   Dr. John Moeller, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

Student Research Presentations Spring 2008

ADHD assessment and treatment practices among local family practice and pediatric physicians.

Presented by:            Blair Burke, Annie Harbison, Valerie Tyndall, & Candace Williams      

Research Mentor:     Dr. Cecile Nowatka, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Influence of a high-fat diet on the detection threshold for avoiding linoleic acid following a conditioned taste aversion in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rat strains.

Presented by:    Tia Anders, Covington Avent, Christina Jackson, Phillip Neill, Chelsea Nill, Cameron Simmons, & David Trant

Research Mentor:     Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Characterization of the afferent gustatory responsiveness of the chorda tympani nerve to tastants with and without linoleic acid in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rat strains.

Presented by:    Kimberly Smith

Research Mentor:     Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

The relationship between student engaged learning, development, and health outcomes.

Presented by:    Mary Catherine McClain

Research Mentor:     Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

The role of discriminative stimuli and motivation level in a three response sequence.

Presented by:    Kara Bennewitz, Tye Tindal, & Wendelyn West

Research Mentor:     Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Chowing down:  Do rats eat less when they eat slower?

Presented by:    Elise Boos, Prashant Patel, and Margaret Strom, representing Bio 104B

Research Mentor:     Dr. G.R. Davis, Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Combating Invasive Species: The Response of a Suburban Bottomland Levee Forest to the removal of   invasive plants

Presented by:    Daniel Henderson

Research Mentor:     Dr. Doug Rayner, Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

Student Research Presentations Fall 2007

Effects of benzodiazepines on short- and long-term feeding patterns: A role for GABAergic processing of taste information.

Presented by:    Hannah Dinnen and Ivy Farr

Research Mentor:   Dr. David Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

The role of glutamate receptor activation within the hypothalamus in the stimulation of feeding behavior

Presented by:    Kalee Clausen, Mary Wheeler, Daniel West, and Josh Smith           

Research Mentor:   Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

Deciphering the magic number 7: The effect of focus switching on working memory capacity.

Presented by:            Crystal Burnette and Leigh Anne Campbell

Research Mentor:   Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

 

The effect of worry on the experience of acute pain.

Presented by:    Emily Fort, Leah Gaylord, and Christie Wilkes

Research Mentor:   Dr. John Lefebvre, Professor of Psychology

Link to Slides (pdf)    -    Link to Audio (mp3 opens in new window)

Wofford College

Page maintained by Dr. Dave Pittman - contact pittmandw@wofford.edu with corrections or concerns